Automated teller machine

ABSTRACT

Provided is an automated teller machine which effectively prevents a banknote from being blown away by wind when a banknote is input or withdrawn through an input-output unit of the automated teller machine. The automated teller machine includes an input-output unit which includes an inlet in which a banknote accommodation space is formed so that a banknote to be input or withdrawn is loaded therein and through which external wind is introduced, a movement path through which the external wind introduced through the inlet passes, and an outlet through which the wind that passes through the movement path is discharged to an upper surface of the loaded banknote.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean PatentApplication No. 10-2019-0112647, filed on Sep. 11, 2019, the disclosureof which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an automated teller machine, and morespecifically, to an automated teller machine which allows banknotes tobe effectively prevented from being blown away out of an input-outputunit of the automated teller machine.

2. Discussion of Related Art

Automated teller machines are unmanned terminals which allow a user toperform deposit and withdrawal transactions using cash, checks, or thelike, transfer money between accounts, and check a bank account using acash card or a bankbook issued by a financial institution without timeconstraints and are widely used in the banking industry to quicklyprocess user's financial tasks.

As shown in FIG. 1, a front part 1 of an automated teller machinegenerally includes a display unit that shows transaction information, abankbook and card input unit for processing various financial tasks, andan input-output unit 2 which includes a statement issuing unit, and abanknote storage space into which a banknote is input or from which abanknote is received.

In the case of the automated teller machine installed outdoors, when acustomer inserts a banknote into the input-output unit 2 or withdraws abanknote loaded in the input-output unit 2, as indicated by the arrow inFIG. 1, the banknote loaded in the banknote storage space may be blownaway in a windy outdoor environment.

In this case, since the banknote loaded in the banknote storage spacemay not be maintained in an arranged state, when the banknotes aretransferred in the automated teller machine, a machine failure occurs inthe automated teller machine due to skew in which the banknote isinclined to one side. When the banknote comes out of the banknotestorage space and is blown away by wind, a problem of inconvenience ofuse of the automated teller machine may occur.

Conventionally, a windshield cover is installed to protrude outward fromboth sides of the input-output unit to prevent a banknote from beingblown away due to the influence of wind, but the component alone has alimit in effectively preventing a banknote from being blown away bywind. A related art related to an automated teller machine forpreventing a banknote from being blown away is shown in Korean UtilityModel Registration No. 20-0178878.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to providing an automated tellermachine which allows a banknote to be effectively prevented from beingblown away by wind when a banknote is input into or withdrawn from aninput-output unit of the automated teller machine.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided anautomated teller machine which includes an input-output unit, whichincludes inlets in which a banknote accommodation space is formed sothat a banknote to be input or withdrawn is loaded therein and throughwhich external wind is introduced, a movement path through which thewind that is introduced through the inlet passes, and outlets throughwhich the wind that passes through the movement path is discharged to anupper surface of the loaded banknote so that the banknote accommodatedin the banknote accommodation space is maintained in a loaded statewithout being blown away.

The inlets may be provided on both sides of the input-output unit, themovement path may be provided to be divided to correspond to both sidesof an inner and upper portion of the input-output unit, and the outletsmay be provided on both sides of a lower portion of the movement path tobe spaced apart from each other so that wind discharged through theoutlets flows toward both sides of the upper surface of the loadedbanknote.

The input-output unit may further include an induction part whichinduces the wind, which is discharged through the outlets, to beconcentrated toward upper surfaces of both side portions of the loadedbanknote.

The induction part may be provided in a protruding form to be convexdownward in an area between the outlets provided at positions of both ofthe sides spaced apart from each other.

The input-output unit may include a path forming part for inducing thewind, which is introduced through the inlet, to the movement path.

A banknote seating part may be provided on a lower portion of thebanknote accommodation space, and escape preventing protrusions may beprovided on both sides of a front portion of the banknote seating partto protrude upward by a predetermined length so as to prevent thebanknote loaded on the banknote seating part from coming out in aforward direction.

A banknote transferring tray may be provided on a lower portion of thebanknote accommodation space and support both side portions of theloaded banknote, and both side portions of the banknote loaded on thebanknote transferring tray may be pressed on an upper surface of thebanknote transferring tray by wind discharged through the outlets sothat the banknote is prevented from being blown away.

The outlet may be formed in a lower portion of the movement path to beincised in the form of a slit.

At least a part of the outlet may be formed to be inclined to one sidewith respect to a horizontal plane to face upper surfaces of both sideportions of the loaded banknote.

Guide parts may be provided on both sides of the input-output unit andguide external wind to the inlets.

The guide part may include a lateral part that extends to be inclinedforward from each of front end portions of both sides of theinput-output unit, an upper part that coves an upper end of the lateralpart and an upper portion of the inlet, and a lower part that covers alower end of the lateral part and a lower portion of the inlet.

Lateral extension parts may be provided on rear end portions of bothsides of the input-output unit and coupled to the guide parts to induceexternal wind to the inlets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become more apparent to those of ordinary skill in theart by describing exemplary embodiments thereof in detail with referenceto the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating a banknote input-output unit formedon a front part of a conventional automated teller machine;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a front part of an automatedteller machine with a banknote blowing prevention device according toone embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a front view illustrating a front part of the automated tellermachine with the banknote blowing prevention device according to oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the banknote blowing prevention deviceaccording to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the banknote blowingprevention device shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the banknote blowing prevention deviceaccording to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional perspective view taken along line A-A inFIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional perspective view taken along line B-B inFIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C in FIG. 6;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional perspective view taken along line C-C inFIG. 6;

FIG. 12 is a view illustrating a state in which banknotes are preventedfrom being blown away by the banknote blowing prevention deviceaccording to one embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 13 is a view illustrating a state in which banknotes are preventedfrom being blown away by a banknote blowing prevention device accordingto a modified embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, the configuration and operation of exemplary embodiments ofthe present invention will be described in detail with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, an automated teller machine including abanknote blowing prevention device 100 according to one embodiment ofthe present invention includes an input-output unit 110 for a banknote,which is formed on a front part 10 of the automated teller machine foran input and withdrawal of a banknote, and guide parts 120 (120-1 and120-2 a) provided on both sides of the input-output unit 110.

Referring to FIGS. 4 to 12, the input-output unit 110 includes a mainbody 111 including a banknote accommodation space 112 in which abanknote P to be input or withdraw is loaded.

As one embodiment, the banknote P is loaded in the banknoteaccommodation space 112 in a vertical direction. Inlets 114 into whichexternal wind is introduced are formed on both sides of the main body111, and lateral extension parts 113 are formed on one portions of theinlets 114 and coupled to the guide parts 120 to induce the externalwind to the inlets 114.

The main body 111 may include a path forming part 115 formed therein inan upwardly inclined structure to induce wind, which is introducedthrough the inlet 114, to movement paths 115 a formed on an inner andupper portion of the main body 111.

The movement path 115 a provides a path through which the windintroduced through the inlet 114 passes and is formed in the inner andupper portion of the main body 111 in a transverse direction.

Outlets 116, through which the wind that passes through the movementpaths 115 a is discharged and sprayed downward, are formed on lowerportions of the movement paths 115 a. As one embodiment, the outlets 116may be formed in lower portions of the movement paths 115 a to beincised in the form of a slit. However, the outlets 116 may be formed inthe form of a plurality of holes.

As another embodiment, the outlets 116 may be formed to be at leastpartially inclined to one side with respect to a horizontal plane toface upper surfaces of both side portions of the loaded banknote.

Wind discharged downward through the outlets 116 flows toward the uppersurfaces of the banknotes P loaded in the banknote accommodation space112 to press the loaded banknote P downward so as to prevent thebanknote P from being blown away.

The input-output unit 110 may further include an induction part 117 forinducing the wind, which is discharged through the outlets 116, to beconcentrated toward the upper surfaces of both side portions of theloaded banknote P. The induction part 117 is formed in a structureprotruding downward to block wind, which is discharged through theoutlets 116, from flowing toward a central portion of the banknoteaccommodation space 112, thereby inducing the wind to be concentratedtoward the upper surfaces of both side portions of the banknote P.

As one embodiment, the inlets 114 are provided on both sides of theinput-output unit 110, the movement paths 115 a are provided in an innerand upper portion of the input-output unit 110 to be divided, and theoutlets 116 are provided on both lower side portions of the movementpaths 115 a to be spaced apart from each other. According to theconfiguration, the wind discharged through the outlets 116 flows towardthe upper surfaces of both side portions of the banknote loaded in thebanknote accommodation space 112 to suppress both side portions of thebanknote from being blown away so as to effectively prevent the banknotefrom being blown away.

The induction part 117 may be provided to protrude to be convex downwardin an area between the outlets 116 provided at positions of both of thesides spaced apart from each other.

A banknote seating part 118 in which a banknote is loaded is providedbelow the banknote accommodation space 112, and an escape preventingprotrusion 119 may be provided on both sides of a front portion of thebanknote seating part 118 to protrude upward by a predetermined lengthso as to prevent the banknote loaded on the banknote seating part 118from coming out in a forward direction.

The guide parts 120 (120-1 and 120-2) are formed to guide external windtoward the inlets 114, and each of the guide parts include a first guidepart 120-1 and a second guide part 120-2 that are symmetrically formedon both sides of the input-output unit 110.

The guide parts 120 may include lateral parts 121 that extend to beinclined forward from front end portions 111 a on both sides of theinput-output unit 110, upper parts 122 that cover upper ends of thelateral parts 121 and upper portions of the inlets 114, and lower parts123 that cover lower ends of the lateral parts 121 and lower portions ofthe inlets 114. Coupling parts 124 of the guide parts 120 are coupled tothe front end parts 111 a on both sides of the input-output unit 110 byfastening units (not shown).

The guide parts 120 are coupled to the lateral extension parts 113provided on both sides of the main body 111, and a guide structure forguiding the external wind to the inlet 114 is formed outside the inlet114 by the coupling of the guide part 120 and the lateral extension part113.

Further, the guide part 120 blocks the external wind, which flows in alateral direction, from flowing toward the front side of the banknoteaccommodation space 112 so as to prevent the banknote P loaded in thebanknote accommodation space from being blown away.

Referring to FIG. 13, a banknote blowing prevention device 100-1according to a modified embodiment may include a banknote transferringtray 130 provided on a lower portion of a banknote accommodation space112 to support both side portions of a loaded banknote, and both sideportions of the banknote loaded on the banknote transferring tray 130are pressed by wind discharged through outlets 116, and thus blowing ofthe banknote can be prevented.

According to the present invention, since upper surfaces of the banknoteare pressed and supported on a banknote seating part 118 of the banknoteaccommodation space 112 or an upper surface of the banknote transferringtray 130 by air pressure of wind using external air that causes blowingof the banknote loaded in the banknote accommodation space 112 of theinput-output unit 110 of the automated teller machine installedoutdoors, the banknote is effectively prevented from being blown awaywhen the banknote is input or withdrawn, and thus convenience of use ofthe automated teller machine can be increased even in an environment inwhich the automated teller machine is installed outdoors. Further, theloaded banknote can be maintained in an arranged state, and thus amachine failure due to misalignment of banknotes can be prevented when abanknote is returned when being input into the automated teller machine.

According to the automated teller machine according to the presentinvention, a path through which wind is introduced to an input-outputunit of the automated teller machine, moved, and discharged to an uppersurface of a banknote loaded in a banknote accommodation space is formedso that the banknote can be effectively prevented from being blown awayby wind when a banknote is input or withdrawn through the input-outputunit.

Further, the guide parts are formed on both sides of the input-outputunit 110 to prevent wind, which flows toward the input-output unit, frombeing introduced through a front side of the banknote accommodationspace and guide the wind from lateral sides of the input-output unit toinlets formed on both sides of the input-output unit so as toeffectively prevent a banknote from being blown away by wind.

Further, wind is discharged to be concentrated toward upper surfaces ofboth side portions of the banknote loaded in the banknote accommodationspace so that both side portions of the banknotes are pressed downwardby air pressure of the wind, and thus the banknote can be prevented frombeing blown away, and a state of the loaded banknote can be maintainedstably.

As described above, the present invention is not limited to theabove-described embodiments, and obvious modification can be made by aperson skilled in the art to which the present invention pertainswithout departing from the technical spirit of the present inventionclaimed in the claims, and the modifications are within the scope of thepresent invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An automated teller machine comprising aninput-output unit which includes: inlets in which a banknoteaccommodation space is formed so that a banknote to be input orwithdrawn is loaded therein and through which external wind isintroduced; a movement path through which the wind that is introducedthrough the inlet passes; and outlets through which the wind that passesthrough the movement path is discharged to an upper surface of theloaded banknote so that the banknote accommodated in the banknoteaccommodation space is maintained in a loaded state without being blownaway.
 2. The automated teller machine of claim 1, wherein the inlets areprovided on both sides of the input-output unit, the movement path isprovided to be divided to correspond to both sides of an inner and upperportion of the input-output unit, and the outlets are provided on bothsides of a lower portion of the movement path to be spaced apart fromeach other so that wind discharged through the outlets flows toward bothside portions of the upper surface of the loaded banknote.
 3. Theautomated teller machine of claim 2, wherein the input-output unitfurther includes an induction part which induces the wind, which isdischarged through the outlets, to be concentrated toward upper surfacesof both side portions of the loaded banknote.
 4. The automated tellermachine of claim 3, wherein the induction part is provided in aprotruding form to be convex downward in an area between the outletsprovided at positions of both of the sides spaced apart from each other.5. The automated teller machine of claim 2, wherein the input-outputunit includes a path forming part for inducing the wind, which isintroduced through the inlet, to the movement path.
 6. The automatedteller machine of claim 2, wherein a banknote seating part is providedon a lower portion of the banknote accommodation space, and escapepreventing protrusions are provided on both sides of a front portion ofthe banknote seating part to protrude upward by a predetermined lengthso as to prevent the banknote loaded on the banknote seating part fromcoming out in a forward direction.
 7. The automated teller machine ofclaim 2, wherein a banknote transferring tray is provided on a lowerportion of the banknote accommodation space and supports both sideportions of the loaded banknote, and both side portions of the banknoteloaded on the banknote transferring tray are pressed on an upper surfaceof the banknote transferring tray by wind discharged through the outletsso that the banknote is prevented from being blown away.
 8. Theautomated teller machine of claim 2, wherein the outlet is formed in alower portion of the movement path to be incised in the form of a slit.9. The automated teller machine of claim 8, wherein at least a part ofthe outlet is formed to be inclined to one side with respect to ahorizontal plane to face upper surfaces of both side portions of theloaded banknote.
 10. The automated teller machine of claim 2, whereinguide parts are provided on both sides of the input-output unit andguide external wind to the inlets.
 11. The automated teller machine ofclaim 10, wherein the guide part includes: a lateral part that extendsto be inclined forward from each of front end portions of both sides ofthe input-output unit; an upper part that coves an upper end of thelateral part and an upper portion of the inlet; and a lower part thatcovers a lower end of the lateral part and a lower portion of the inlet.12. The automated teller machine of claim 11, wherein lateral extensionparts are provided on rear end portions of both sides of theinput-output unit and coupled to the guide parts to induce external windto the inlets.